Anthropomorphic Personifications
by 6Fortius9
Summary: What if the Countries in Naruto were human?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

...

Yamanaka Ino

Once upon a time, in the house opposite theirs, there lived a shinobi. The shinobi was an old man, retired and all saggy, so he wasn't really a shinobi, but Ino still says he is anyway – if only to avoid a sulky fit from him.

Well, anyways.

Despite being retired, the old man continued to help his country. He sold books, ranging from children's tales to shinobi's scrolls, and he gave Ino sweets for free. Ino would forever remember him as the grandpa she never had, the one which does not consistently badger on her father and harp like the elder he is. She loved him for it.

One day, the old man died.

With a smile on his lips, the old man passed away peacefully in his sleep.

The shop closed down, never to be opened ever again.

A year later, little Ino found a man standing before the store.

With his back turned to her, the man stood out from all the others with the red wagasha he held. He was clad in a simple yet elegant mocha kimono then, the rare traditional costume catching the eyes of many who passed by. Locks of warm auburn locks peeked out from under the wagasha, a dull colour one would find anywhere in here.

If not for that outfit, he would have blended in anywhere. Still, besides the graceful clothing, there was just something about him which caught her eye somehow.

Watching the sakura petals flutter lightly, Ino wondered what that feeling in her chest was as she called out to him.

"Mister, that shop is permanently closed!" She exclaimed.

The man turned slightly, his eyes still hidden behind wisps of hair. It was just a simple curve of the lips, but the sight of his smile somehow warmed her heart.

"Thank you for telling me, Ojou-chan." The man turned back to give a long glance at the shop. "I was contemplating if I should set up shop here – The shop lacks any presence of life, see?"

"The nice old man who used to live here went on into the next world." Ino gave the house a sad longing look. "If you want to set up shop here, I'm sure he won't mind! But you might want to regi – regi…register! – with the town council before doing so; They're really strict about things like these."

She was just reciting things she remembers her dad saying, but she was wholly proud of her achievement. She puffed out her chest in pride.

The man laughed gently.

"I see. That's a new thing I learnt today. Will you tell me more?"

She beamed.

"Okay-" Her agreement was cut short by her mother's cry, chiding as always.

"Ino, have you already completed your chores?!"

Ino flushed, feathers ruffled at being treated like a child before such a charming man. There was a soft chuckle, but when she turned to look at him, he was gazing thoughtfully at the old man's house again.

"I will do so soon!" She shouted back.

Her mother said something in return, her voice fading out when Ino turned to the kind man.

"Thank you for sharing so much with me. It was an enlightening conversation, however short it may have been." Much to her chagrin, his eyes were still hidden by his wagashi, but the warm smile he gave offered no room for doubt.

"Y-You're welcome." Ino shifted shyly on her toes, playing with the seams of her shirt. "And sorry for leaving you hanging."

"Not at all."

A sudden gust of wind caught them unaware. Ino's eyes rose and followed the wagashi as it was blown out of the mna's grasp, straight into the skies.

"Arara…That was careless of me. I would have to get it replaced." There was a smile nonetheless as the man dropped his hands from his windblown hair, revealing stunning green eyes for the first time.

Ino stared, entranced.

The green reminds her of the green of Shikamaru's house's yard, the flaky green of the shinobi vest, and also some earthy brown mixed in there…The number of things she could think of seems countless. Ino found herself taken in by those green pools. He seemed young and old, wise and mischievous, gentle yet strong, all at the same time.

For now, the man seems oddly contented as his eyes shifted onto her form, a smile more warm, rather than bright, transforming his face.

Ino redirected her gaze to the ground.

A large hand descended upon her head, reminding her of her father's hands, and the man chuckled lightly.

"Well, I have best get going if I want to be the owner of this remarkable store. This is farewell for now, young Ino-chan."

Ino blinked. How did he-?

" _How are the sweets, young Ino-chan?" The old man's face crinkled into a smile as he watched her chomp her way through another stick of dango._

" _It's dwelisios!" She replied in return, blue eyes begging for more._

" _Those eyes won't do you any good now…Mrs Yamanaka will only put me through another lecture if she finds out." He chuckled, patting her head gently._

" _Okaaay…" She whimpered._

 _They sat at the edge of the wooden floor boards, staring out at the beautiful garden he had grown. The sakura trees seem to dance elegantly in a brush of wind, complimenting the greenery which surrounded the entire area. As Ino was licking her plate clean, she listened to him hum an old tune, one which he is always fond of._

 _With a smile, Ino closed her eyes and hummed alongside him, swaying her body back and forth._

 _The old man smiled._

 _When the time came for partings, Ino clung on tightly to the old man's weak limbs, pouting at her sighing father._

" _I don't want you! I like Oji-chan more anyways!"_

 _Inoichi only rubbed the back of his head, heaving a deep sigh. He exchanged an exhausted look with the old man, frowning slightly._

" _Is it the sweets? How did you win my daughter's heart so easily?" He brushed his hair back with a hopeless smile._

 _The old man chuckled and only patted Ino's head._

" _Young Ino-chan, if you don't leave for home, aren't you afraid of the fox monsters coming to get you? I'm afraid these OLD limbs of mine can no longer fight as well as they do in my youth, so I don't think I can protect you." He chuckled._

" _Eh. No…Noooo!" Ino jumped behind her father, quivering in obvious fear while Inoichi only watched in amazement._

" _I've said it many times and I'll say it again…You're a miracle worker." Inoichi gazed at him with wide, awed eyes._

 _The old man only chuckled, peering down at the child._

" _You just require a bit of understanding and patience." He said. Patting the blond head for the last time, his wrinkled face rose in a smile. "This is farewell for now, young Ino-chan."_

 _Ino never saw him again._

He turned and weaved his way seamlessly through the crowd, blending with them in the absence of the bright red wagashi that once accompanied him.

There were too many questions, but one thing stood out amongst the others.

"W-What is your name, Mister?!" Ino shouted after him.

He was already quite far off. She wonders if he heard her.

There was no reply other than a finger pointing up. Ino followed it, blinking when she found the wagashi now stuck between two sakura branches.

What is he referring to? She gazed back at the now vanished man and turned back to the tree. That wagashi…something is written on it. With narrowed eyes, Ino tried to make out the kanji written on its handle.

"Ko-u-ta." She read, eyes widening with her smile. "Kouta. Kouta!"

Ino leapt out jovially and ran back into the house, leaving the wagashi still stuck on the tree.

"Mom! Mom! I know who our new neighbour might be! Do you think you can put in a good word for him at the town council meeting?!"

…

Hatake Kakashi

When Kakashi was much younger, there used to be this store his father frequent.

There was nothing special about the store. It was just another rundown bookshop in the midst of the civilian street, matched with similarly faded red roofs and yellowed walls. The décor was plain though the scent of books was comforting. Nothing seemed particularly outstanding at first glance.

When he was younger, Kakashi would ignore the books and run straight to his father, clamouring for training. Eventually, Sakumo gave up with a sigh and acknowledged that Kakashi may never be a bookworm.

When Sakumo died, no Hatake ever patronized the shop again.

Thoughts of that tiny shop left his mind as Kakashi made it his lifelong mission to avoid going down the same path his father did.

…Until seven years ago.

 _Fourteen years old Kakashi stared blankly at the store as Minato began his rambling, cheerful words strung into an annoying tune._

" _You have been wallowing in despair for far too long, so Kushina and I decided that it's time to introduce you to a hobby." He beamed, ushering the irritated teen into the shop. "Now, explore around and see what you like. I'll be back in an hour or so, ne?"_

" _Hey- Wai-" Just like the lightning flash he is nicknamed, Minato disappeared in a flash._

 _His hand still outstretched into midair, Kakashi dropped it with a huff._

 _Whatever his sensei says, he does not need a hobby. He is okay being the way he is, and being Anbu is technically a hobby in itself, seeing how it makes him forget everything the moment he is behind the mask. Obito and Rin…_

 _His fingers itched to grab hold of the missing mask, to pull it over his face and to just drown in the emotionless killing again._

" _I see the young Hatake has finally returned." Kakashi jumped at the cackle right beside him. The old man gave him a closed eyed smile, amused. "No need to be wary. I may be been a shinobi in the past, but I can hardly leave a scratch on you now."_

"… _Sorry." Kakashi said._

" _No need to be." Kakashi watched the man curiously as he circled around him, making a beeline to one of the shelves._

 _The memories were faded, but Kakashi could still remember this old man. He has always been generous in his way, giving out sweets and head pats like no other. Kakashi recall being so incredibly irked by the childish treatment._

 _The old man then returned with a book, a smile still plastered over his face._

"… _This is?" Kakashi took the book warily._

" _A book." No duh. "One which your father ordered shortly after the incident."_

 _Grey eyes widened by a fraction. A flash of Obito's words the day before he died brought pain to his eyes. He closed them to hide the emotion and accepted the book quietly._

" _Thank you." He murmured._

 _The old man nodded._

 _From that day on, the Hatake were once more devoted patrons of the rundown bookshop._

Until the old man died, that is.

Staring contemplatively at the book before him, Kakashi found himself thinking once more of that old bookstore that was now nonexistent. Before that shop's absence, he never found himself thinking about this before.

Porn or food.

Porn. Or food?

Porn or food?

Porn…

Eventually, the lady got tired of him and kicked him out.

"Don't come back again if you don't plan to buy anything!" She yelled, stomping back to the counter.

Kakashi sighed.

He missed the old man and his sweets.

Food, it is then.

The civilian street was just as crowded as usual when he visited. With countless bodies filling the street uncomfortably, Kakashi decided to take the usual cheat code and went up the roofs.

Hm…Where should he eat today?

Dango? No, there's Anko there.

Ramen? Urgh, Asuma and Kurenai are there flirting again. He would starve before he willingly put himself through another round of that.

Curry? "OH! IF IT ISN'T MY YOUTHFUL RIVAL THERE!"

Kakashi turned and ran.

Suffice to say, there was no need to explain why.

He didn't know where he was going. Before he knew it, Kakashi found himself magically ending up at a familiar shop with familiar colourings.

He blinked, staring in confusion.

…Wasn't the old man dead?

"WHERE ARE YOU, KAKASHI?!"

Kakashi sweatdropped and followed the stream of people into the store, blending in with the dull colourings of civilian clothing. God forbid Gai find him.

The interior of the store was much different than before. With new bookshelves replacing the old wood, there seems to be a different catalogue and of more variety of books. Kakashi approached one, eyes widening slightly when he realized the random book he chose contained a weak jutsu scribbled in it.

" _Jii-san…Do you sell any books here containing D-rank or lower ranked jutsus?" Kakashi scratched his head sheepishly._

" _Kuku. Is it for one of your charges on guard duty? Unfortunately, I don't have any of those." The old man gave a wrinkly smile. "In my time, shinobi jutsus were forbidden by the Nidaime-sama to be handed out freely to civilians. So I don't have any here."_

" _Come on." Kakashi groaned. It was childish, but somehow, it was hard not to feel his age when around this ancient old fossil. "That pesky brat's gonna be pestering me forever if you don't help me."_

" _Deal with it." The retired shinobi retorted dryly. "Although – If you would return in a few more years, perhaps then the books would have changed."_

" _Eh? What do you mean?" Kakashi asked without meaning to._

 _Like always, the old man only smiled mysteriously._

" _You will know when you return."_

Kakashi watched wide eyed as a civilian child pulled her mother towards the newly added 'Shinobi' section. On the other side of the room was a greater space than he recalled; a few walls must have been knocked down to make room for that.

On the tatami mat were various themed chairs and tables, some even with privacy dividers set up around them.

" _I wish I can eat your sweets here. It's hard to carry my books and food at the same time." The old man's sharp ears caught his offhand comment and slapped him hard on the head._

" _Just be grateful that I'm even giving you sweets, you whiny brat!"_

Kakashi found a smile spreading across his lips, bitter yet sweet.

Everywhere he looked, he could see the old man there. Was that annoying yet kind little man really gone? The feeling in his chest was an unfamiliar one, but somehow, he understood it.

The old man may have died, but instead of leaving Kakashi to mourn him, all he left was joyous memories which made the shinobi want to celebrate his existence instead.

"I see the Hatake has finally returned." The comment of a soft voice made grey eyes widen.

As he turned, for a moment, Kakashi thought he saw the image of that same old man smiling at him with his usual summery, refreshing curve of his lips. Then, the image promptly faded, leaving behind a young man with that same smile on his lips.

The green-eyed man gazed at him with gentle eyes, a somewhat knowing twinge everpresent in the old geezer's eyes now present in his own.

"What can I do for you today?" He asked softly.

There were a million questions Kakashi wanted to ask. Was he the old man's family? How did he know about him? Why does he look so akin to the old man – in behaviour and mannerisms? But Kakashi pushed the questions down anyway.

There was something about him and the old geezer. Something which just makes him protective and oddly unconcerned for some reason.

Kakashi didn't understand, but under his mask, his lips curved up into a lazy smile anyways.

He approached the counter.

"I would like to read a book. Porn, preferably."

…

Sarutobi Hiruzen

Three was the total number of times Sarutobi Hiruzen has met him officially.

The first time was at his graduation.

With the many leaves between blown around them, the day the Nidaime Hokage declared the graduation of the first batch of students from the Academy had been a moving day. Flags were flown by various clans, a festival was thrown – much to the annoyance of the village leader – and families held gathering dinners.

It was a pride to be declared a ninja of Konoha.

With a loud barking laugh, Hiruzen had ran down the streets and back several times until he tire. Then, he had plopped himself down at the base of a sakura tree, closing his eyes in a short nap.

"So that's your student, Tobirama?"

"Unfortunately, it seems so."

"Why did you pick him?" A chortle in the voice was broke off by the sound of a punch. "-Urgh. Stop that!"

"Of the many students, he appeared to be the one most supportive of the village's developments thus far." The stern voice paused. "And he mentioned on his resume that he loves Konoha far more than any other."

There was a hitched of breath.

The first voice sounded warm when he spoke.

"That makes you happy, doesn't it, Kouta?"

"…"

Hiruzen twitched, trying to continue to pretend to be sleeping even when a calloused hand touched his head. It patted once, twice, repeating the action for many more times than Hiruzen could count until he snapped.

"Oi! Stop that!" He opened his eyes.

It was beautiful sight.

Even to a bratty child like him at that age, he thought that the man was beautiful. Warm brown locks framing a pale face and eyes of the greenest green there is, the man had the slender frame of a civilian. Hiruzen thought it was probably the sakura behind him that brought out his beauty the most though – and he mistook the beauty for that of the petals then.

"Get away from me!" He shouted.

The man blinked and smiled, brows furrowing lightly in a contradicting expression.

"W-What is it?" Hiruzen hid his face defensively.

The man only stood and walked to the two hokage wordlessly, placing a palm on the Shodai hokage's shoulder.

"HAHAHA! You got rejected, Kouta!" Hashirama laughed rambunctiously.

Tobirama only sighed lightly.

"What do you think about him, Kouta?" He asked.

The man paused. Hiruzen squeaked as he turned to him, examining him with accessing green eyes. Then, a gentle warm smile formed and he gave a secretive nod.

What the hell does that mean?!

"I see." Tobirama smirked. "Thank you. You can go."

It must be shunshin, because the man disappeared with a flutter of leaves.

"Well then," Hashirama grinned widely as he folded his arms and stared down the child. "Now, let us introduce ourselves to our new student, Tobirama!"

"Anija, your fly is unbuttoned."

Hiruzen never saw him in that form again.

…

The second time was in the midst of the first shinobi war.

With enemies from all sides, Konoha lost its Hokage in a sudden sharp blow in the midst of the war. Hiruzen found himself hailed as the next leader, and all of a sudden, the burden was thrown onto his shoulders. He found himself thrown back and forth as the village, in its state of ruin after the war, pulled at him from all corners. He was ran ragged and was dead on his feet.

It was in that state that the man returned, this time in the form of another.

With raven hair and onyx eyes, Hiruzen found himself staring at the shinobi the daimyo so-called 'bestowed' upon him.

"Excuse me?" He asked again, still stunned.

"I will let you borrow him for a while, if only because Konoha is part of him. Until your village is fixed, he'll help you in everything." The daimyo's wife sniffed, giving the man a concerned glance. "If you need anything, just ask. And make sure you come back as soon as possible, kay?"

The man smiled grimly and nodded.

With his mouth still gaping as the woman walked away, the man turned to Hiruzen and gave a wary smile.

"My name is Arashi. Pleased to meet you."

It took a moment or a dozen until Hiruzen's brain started working again.

"Y-Yeah." He choked out.

He found himself shocked when onyx eyes turned reproaching. A sudden jab to his sides made him catch his breath.

"A good hokage should not stutter, Hiruzen-sama. And make sure to iron your clothes, such messiness is not suited for a village leader." Arashi suddenly started.

Before he knew it, Arashi became something of a teacher for him.

Politics and tact, things which Tobirama never taught him before his death were taught to him by Arashi. He reproached him, prodding him every time he slouched in a manner unbefitting of the Hokage and he examined and explained the intentions of each of Tobirama's unfinished projects to him. Where finances were concerned, Arashi helped and took over some things before teaching him the necessary skills required once Hiruzen was freed from other devotions.

In a short period of two weeks, Hiruzen found himself developing quicker than he has ever done so under Tobirama's tutelage.

"Thank you." He said when the man left.

Arashi only smiled, shaking his head lightly.

"Thank _you_."

The words surprised him.

"Make sure you be a good Hokage and never let another war happen." He said, and Hiruzen nodded.

It is weird, he thought. For unknown reasons, even though his roommate was leaving, Hiruzen found himself neither sad nor nostalgic. It did not feel like goodbye yet.

He recalled that one conversation they had in the rare break they took from everything.

Under the sakura tree, Hiruzen had mused over everything, staring at Arashi in suspicion then.

"You have all these connections to people from all over the Fire Country – traders, mercenaries, retail stores, informants, even samurai – yet you hold no position in the palace. People who see you also warm up to you at once, and in your presence, there were never any fights over resources. Why?" He questioned.

"Why do you think so?" Arashi only smiled mysteriously.

"I'm still stuck on the theory that you may be a magical fairy sent here by the daimyo's wife's ancestors. Or you just have tremendous amounts of charisma, which is impossible." Hiruzen munched on a dry biscuit.

"All your theories are wrong. I am the anthropomorphic personification of this nation." Arashi chuckled.

"Heheh. That's a good one."

"Isn't it?"

Something about Arashi's tone then never left his mind even though the conversation clearly ended there.

Narrowing his eyes slightly Hiruzen stared at Arashi once more in suspicion.

"So – Are you _reeeaaally_ the anthropomorphic personification of this nation?" He asked curiously.

Arashi blinked, surprised, and laughed.

"Yes."

"Okay."

He never saw Arashi again either.

…

The third time he saw him had been decades later.

"Anthropomorphic Personification of a Nation, remember?"

The sudden murmur of a passing old man made him stop in his footsteps.

Hiruzen turned to see the old man's fleeing figure and he ran after him.

"Wait!"

It was an odd sight, but one perfectly normal on the weird streets of Konoha, he supposes. Two old man, one civilian, the other ninja, one charging after the other causing a gust of wind which blew ladies' skirts up and dogs to bark at them. It sure brought him back to his youth.

When they finally stopped, Hiruzen found them standing within a shop with a faded, unreadable sign. The door closed behind him, shutting out the outside world. He only needed a glimpse at the books to know.

It was a bookshop.

The old man turned and smiled, warm, gentle, yet just as mysterious as always.

"Who are you?" Hiruzen asked, feeling an odd sense of nostalgia.

"Kouta, Arashi, Konoha, Hi no Kuni – and many more." The old man tossed his head back in a soft laugh and suddenly, there was a puff of smoke, revealing a man with warm brown locks and eyes of the greenest green.

He was smiling that same, never changing smile.

"You're…" Hiruzen's eyes widened.

"It is my greatest pleasure to meet you officially, Sandaime-sama." The man bowed. "I apologize for my lateness in meeting you. My official cover name is Kouta, but otherwise, my real name is Hi no Kuni. It has been a long time." He chuckled lightly.

"B-But…" Hiruzen stuttered.

"Now, stuttering is unbecoming of a hokage," Green eyes turned slightly reproaching, just like the past. Hiruzen quickly rearranged his lips before the young man could jab him in the side, and Kouta laughed once more. "In the past, anyway. The traditions now are different."

"…I have so many things I want answered now." Hiruzen summarized his feelings, glaring at the man.

"There is only one answer, just as there always is." The man pointed at himself with a smile. "Anthropomorphic personification of a nation."

"I-" Hiruzen paused and gave up with a sigh.

It was too early to put his thoughts into words.

Kouta seems to understand as well as he simply smiled.

"You do not need to say a thing, Hiruzen-sama. Just listen for a bit." He smiled. "Our country is in a bit of crisis currently, so I will need your help."

"What crisis?" Hiruzen questioned, alarm.

"It's nothing big, I promise." Kouta chuckled.

"Then…what do you want me to do?" Hiruzen sighed.

"Just declare me dead, and I will start everything afresh." Kouta smiled. "Just like pushing a 'restart' button, I'll start a new identity here and I'll change things from here. The only difference from what I've done all this time is that I'll be a little bit more active than before."

"Wait. How do I know you're not just a stranger pretending to be the people I know?" The thought of doing something potentially harmful spurred his mind to life.

"Just ask Hanako (the new daimyo's wife) and she'll confirm everything."

He took a quick trip down to the capital and back. Hey, he wasn't the professor for nothing. Shunshin was not out of his abilities.

"You're crazy." Hiruzen finalized.

"Only because I've been in contact with shinobi influence for so long." Kouta chuckled. "The source of my craziness is you guys, so you're the ones who are crazy."

Hiruzen sighed.

It feels like arguing with Gai about youth.

His nation is insane.

"I just want you to prevent this store from getting bought after I 'die' till the day I return." Straight to the point but vague, just like any other civilian in the village.

"How will I know when you return?" Hiruzen questioned tiredly.

Hi no Kuni smiled.

" 'Anthropomorphic Personification'." He stated.

Hiruzen felt his head throb at the reply.

"We won't meet again, will we?" Somehow, he felt that the answer was the same as those times long ago. He never did meet Kouta or Arashi again until today.

"We won't." Kouta affirmed.

Even so, it didn't feel a single bit like a goodbye, Hiruzen thought as he left the store. If anything, it felt like the beginning of a story.

…

Uzumaki Naruto

Once upon a time, there used to be a little grumpy old man in that shop.

He was unlike the others, ignoring Naruto when he enter the shop but never kicking him out, and he would occasionally leave leftover sweets out for the cats to eat. The sweets he made were really good, and Naruto was sad when he died.

"… _Aren't you going to kick me out?" Five Years old Naruto asked the old man behind the big desk._

 _The man only spread opened his newspaper a bit wider, covering his view of Naruto entirely._

" _Aaaaah~ I certainly do not see anyone now and I plan to read on the job! If anyone comes in while I am so unfortunately reading the newspaper, then it cannot be helped! It is only the result of my laziness!" The old man said loudly, a large smile appearing on his face as he peered at the newspaper._

 _Was…he telling Naruto to go in?_

 _Naruto stared up at him with big blue eyes and decided that the lack of animosity was a good sign._

 _He walked in. One step. Two step. And another._

 _He took a book, admiring the pictures on it, and learnt to read it using one of the cd devices kept next to it._

 _The next day, he came. And the next._

 _Before he knew it, Naruto would return every morning starving for learning, and he would always find a plate of dango left beside the book he was reading._

" _The cats did not eat the dango, I see. I may as well leave it out for the flies to eat." The old man said stoically the first day when Naruto neglected to touch the plate out of fear that he would be thrown out of the store._

 _The next few days, Naruto would always gobble them down hungrily._

 _As he sat down and ate another day, Naruto found himself peering up at the old man's seemingly large frame on the tall chair and giggled at the blossoming warm feeling in his chest._

 _Why was it?_

 _He always feels so happy around the old man!_

 _Unbeknownst to him, the man hid a wrinkly gentle smile behind his morning paper. A gust of air ruffled through Naruto in the enclosed area, leaving the blond boy to touch his hair lightly in puzzlement._

 _What was that?_

The old man was nice, and Naruto loved him.

When he died, Naruto became hungry.

But sadness was still more painful than hunger.

At the Teuchi, they said he could always eat, but Naruto knew from their distressed faces that his large appetite would only eat holes into their pockets, so he avoided the store whenever he did not have money.

The only company was the old man, and he died.

Lonely, Naruto attended the old man's funeral and hid behind a tree all the while until everyone left.

Then, he slid out of his hiding position and placed a flower on the weird cold stone.

Naruto clapped his hands like he saw the other people doing and kneeled down as correctly as he possibly could. Then, he said:

"Thank you."

And he left.

One year later, Naruto was once more walking around hungry when he passed by that same store. The insides were now different, and more people were there.

Naruto was wide-eyed as he entered, blinking at the many books that were now added to the previous collection.

"Are you new here?" A man, slightly womanish looking, with warm brown hair and green eyes squatted next to him.

"I…" What should he do? No one ever spoke to him like that before…other than Jiji…and Teuchi…and Iruka, even though his eyes were like all the others…

"This is a rental bookshop. You come here with a bit of money and you borrow whichever book before going to that corner to read." The man explained, giving a gentle warm smile which reminds Naruto of the one the old man had on sometimes. "For children under twelve, it is free. So, would you want one?"

"I…" He was a shinobi! He shouldn't seem weak! Naruto puffed his chest out and nodded boldly, ignoring the looks the other customers were giving. "I want one!"

"For a boy of your age, I'd recommend this." The man plucked a book off one of the shelves and handed it to him with another one of his warm smiles.

Naruto was shocked to see the same book he stopped at the day before the old man died.

"I…" He grabbed the book excitedly, starting to run off when the man grabbed his shoulder lightly.

"Wait."

Fearing that he would be beaten, he dropped the book at once and cradled his head.

Green eyes softened in understanding.

"What should you say before you leave?" The man continued in a slightly gentler tone, though not the least less stern.

"Eh? I-?" Naruto blinked for a minute and pondered before bowing from waist down – like those characters do from the books. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome." The man patted his head lightly, the smile from before returning to his face. "But most of the seats are full right now, so…"

He looked up to one of the other patrons – the one with grey hair and eyes and who was now giggling creepily at his book.

"Kakashi-san, will you please assist this boy in teaching him to read?" He smiled.

"E-E-Eh?" The creepy pervert fumbled with his book, turning around with shocked eyes. He pointed to himself, dumbfounded. "Me?"

"Unless there is another Kakashi-san in here, then yes, I am referring to you." The man folded his arms around his chest. "And you better not read that book in the presence of this boy…"

"Uuuugh…I…Okay."

Naruto watched with wide amazed eyes.

It was amazing what a simple smile from the man can convey.

The man patted him on his back lightly.

"Go on."

"O-Okay!" Overfilling with happiness of reading with another person, Naruto ran forward excitedly, almost stumbling over his feet. It reminded him of the old man, although the old man never did this for him.

The grey man was reluctant when Naruto began reading, only pointing to the words he stumble over and reading it once for Naruto to repeat. Then, as the story went on, the grey man found himself reading sentences and soon ended up reading the entire book for him.

Naruto could tell by his eyes that he was fascinated with the story despite himself.

When a plate was sat before them, Naruto's blue eyes went wide.

It was the same dango, just like the usual. The dango he missed so much for an entire year!

One mouth of the savoury goodness and Naruto found himself giggling, almost choking on the sticky dango in his mouth.

"What's wrong?" The man asked lightly.

Naruto only continued to giggle. That warm feeling in his chest is really too much to take!

"Naruto?" The masked not-so-creepy-shinobi followed in concern.

"Heheh…This dango is just like the old man's, that's all!" Laughing to himself as he took another bite and felt the warmth spreading a bit more, Naruto felt tears escaping his eyes at the same time. "It's so delicious!"

…

A/N: Like it? Hate it? I'm still in a daze after writing this, so I'm not so sure about myself. Please tell me what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Friends

…

The Land of Iron

The changes happened overtime:

From beyond the span of the long line of mountains, chakra seeped its way through the soil and ice and _life_. Unlike then, he now knows that that humane yet immortal chakra spans from a certain rabbit-eared woman ruling the lands beyond the mountains. However, back then, even though he noticed the changes, it had been so gradual he paid no mind to it.

Iron never noticed how much has really changed until the day he opened his eyes to see the skies.

He had felt strangely more in control of his body compared to before. He had limbs. Staring into the river, he found a child with long tresses as black as his ravens' fur and eyes as dark as charcoal. Touching his rosy face in disbelief – smooth, just as they always feel when they fall onto the icy ground or when a snowflake brushed passed them – he came to the realization that he looked like one of his humans.

He had been _personified_.

"How…" Iron jolted at the sound of his own voice and touched his throat, stunned.

He even had a voice.

As a gust of cold wind brushed passed, he shivered and sneezed. Never, he thought, astounded. Never would he have thought that one day, he would become just like one of those weak, fragile yet precious humans of his.

And Iron did not know whether to feel happy or sad about it.

"...A child?" The soft voice of one of his humans made him jump.

Swiveling around with wide eyes, Iron watched as a group of his humans gradually approached him, looking astonished at his state of undress.

His eyes darted from human to human, recognizing each and every one of them instinctively. It was a trait which he had, even before… _this_. Having watched them and offered himself up for their survival for the entire time they were on his lands, the attachment he has to them all this time was what prompted him to take a tiny, wary step forward.

His people are guarded, but Iron knew things were going too easy when one of the women looked into his eyes and immediately grabbed her spouse.

"What are you waiting for? Help him!"

Minami Toko is one strict woman who hounds on the survival of the gang as a whole. Being overly helpful to strangers is certainly not one of her traits, neither will it ever be.

"But-" The man gazed into his eyes and fell silent at once. "Got it."

Iron wondered what he saw. For the rest of the trip back to the village they were living in, the couple kept looking back at him, hoping to catch a glimpse of his eyes.

…

His lands back then spanned the entirety of the area behind the mountains segregating him from the main island. Uninfluenced by the petty wars he heard were fought in the lands behind the mountains, Iron had truly never interacted with another one of his kind until that single one appeared on his lands one day.

It was one with brown hair that oddly enough reminds him of the colour of the mountains that separate them physically. As Iron snuck up on him and pressed the blade of his katana to the man's neck, he is stunned by the colour of green, one which is so very different from his own dark orbs and yet, so pleasantly vibrant that he could not help but feel slightly envious of it.

"Enjoying the view?" The young man, couple of years older than him, laughed merrily.

Iron could not help it. As disciplined as his samurai has taught him to be, he felt a brow twitch.

"You are quite arrogant to be laughing while my sword is pointed to your neck." He commented stoically in response. He had hoped the reality check would bring the other's mood down, but instead, the man only beamed brighter.

"You're so cute~ And that expression of yours! You remind me of one of Wave's newborns – Suna or whatever his name was." The man chuckled. "Of course, no one is cuter still, than my little Kaminari."

Behind him, a couple of ravens flew away.

"Your voice is a pollutant to my land. Give me one reason why I should not slice you down right here and now." Iron replied stiffly.

"Please don't do that~" Much to his chagrin, the man looked completely undisturbed by his words. "I'm here to be friends with you! So please don't kill me~!" And with the speed of his best swordsmen, Iron found himself glomped by the too cheerful stranger.

He stiffened momentarily, but as the connection between them unveiled itself, his body relaxed unintentionally.

They were two lands separated by a long crooked mountain, two lands physically and forcefully separated, yet it was the simplest of things linked them together. Occasionally, when the winds changed direction, the sounds of war and music would float over the boundaries. The beautiful sounds of life never failed to entrance Iron, who would always look up in puzzlement. The birds which fly away from his lands every now and then would disappear over the mountains and to, what he now knew, is this man's lands.

In the arms of the man, he felt the warmth of the sun which avoided his lands, he felt the strength of his people and the pain from the numerous wars fought present in the wounds littering his body, and most of all, he felt the opening of doors to another world – one colourful world he had barricaded himself so stoically from in the past.

It was sly of him, the Iron of the present never fails to think, how Fire had so simply abused their physical connection to make friends with him. But then again, it was perhaps the only thing that would have dragged him out of his self-imposed isolation back then.

"So," The young man released him with a gentle smile. "Will you be my friend?"

Iron stared back with wide eyes, looking down at the offered hand with much hesitation.

…How long has it been since his 'birth'? Iron had seen at least three generations of his people pass into the next world, and the weather conditions were only growing harsher. How long will it be until his people die out? How long will it be until he disappears, that he, alone, has to spend watching the days of his people rise and slink away?

Tetsu, the boy, rather than the nation, sorely longed for the presence of one of his own kind, but before that, his people always come first.

"If I do, will you bring your warmth into my lands? Will you bring to us the animals I hear in your land – the horses that neigh, the pigs that eat, and the butterflies roaming flower fields – which my lands lack?" He questioned in an emotional fit, eyes fixated on the other immortal.

It was obvious that the Land of Fire was slowly having an influence on the Land of Iron. As the small group of people from Fire interacted with his, knowledge of those animals he spoke of were pouring into him instinctively. He even knew his name.

Fire blinked briefly before he beamed.

"More than that – I shall teach you ninja techniques!"

"Ninja-?"

"It's-!" He paused, contemplative, and he laughed. "I will tell you only if you shake my hand!"

Iron blinked at the demand and sighed. He has agreed to his conditions afterall, so…

"Very well." They shook on it, and Iron could not help but notice how warm his hand is in his own and how, for the first time ever, it finally felt like there was someone out there who understands him.

"We're friends now, Iron." Fire smiled warmly. "So stop it with that lonely expression of yours. You're making me feel depressed too!" He laughed. "So now, about ninja techniques…"

As he rambled happily in that smooth voice of his, under the forever chilly winter skies of the Land of Iron, Tetsu thought he felt warm for the first time.

So…this is a 'friend'.

…

Haruno Sakura

Once upon a time, there was a girl.

She was a child with hair as pink as sakura, and eyes as green as grass. Coming from a sheltered background, she was so very naïve, thinking that her world is always filled with beauty and sweet words. When she turned six, like all Konoha civilians, she was granted an opportunity to become a ninja. Wavering between her parents' objections and her own sweetened perception of the world of a warrior, she was very much hesitant.

It was then that she wandered passed an old man on the street.

The old man smiled down at her and gave her sweets, gently convincing her to tell him of her worries. Upon hearing her troubles, he simply asked a single question.

"To protect or to be protected…Which do you want to be?"

Surprised at the way he viewed her troubles, the girl replied without thinking.

"To protect, of course! But at the same time, I don't know if I can become strong enough to protect…"

"If you are weak, then become stronger. If you doubt yourself, then become more confident. If you still don't think you are good enough, then get yourself a friend." The old man smiled. "One who would protect you while you protect them, of course."

"But how does that-?"

Green eyes widened, and Sakura stared at the empty space beside her on the bench. All that remained was a few fluttering dried leaves that signaled the end of autumn.

"…Where…did that old man go…?"

When spring came, amidst the blessings of the falling pink, _pink_ sakura petals, the young girl marched into the Academy, uncertain of her path but determined to become stronger so as to protect her loved ones.

And to date, she found herself regretting the decision more than ever.

Trotting her way in a beeline around Konoha, Sakura tried to swallow the welling tears in her swollen eyes. Her knees hurt from being scraped when they pushed her, and her scalp still ached from having her hair pulled on. But still, there was no way she would return home in this state. Not when her hair is messy and the blood is still flowing from her knees, anyway.

Even though she hated attending the Ninja Academy, she would rather bear with the pain than to burden her family by changing into Civilian school.

Yes, she was strong.

Sakura paused in her path as a rat squeaked and passed by. The ribbon in her palms shook. Her vision blurred. But Sakura bit her lip anyways and held back her tears.

Yes. Even though she hated that old man for encouraging her to enter Ninja Academy, she has certainly become very, very strong.

Was it strong enough that her forehead size wouldn't matter?

She quivered at the mere memory of that matter and hugged herself.

She was weak, yes, she was still very weak still. But despite how hard she has been trying to battle against their hurtful words, to ignore them to become stronger to protect her family, it all seems for naught in their mere dominating presence. What should she do then, if trying hard wouldn't help?

She didn't know anymore.

It was often said that one would become motivated to change when they see a reflection of themselves.

For Hyuga Hinata in that moment, that could never be truer.

"S-Sakura-…-chan..?"

The soft voice broke the young girl from her trance.

With widened green eyes and lips still bitten harshly, the pink haired girl lifted her head for the first time since she left school to see concerned wide, white eyes boring into hers.

She is…Hinata, right? The Hyuga Clan heir…from her class.

Hinata looks down, looking more flustered than she has ever had, and stuttered, trying to utter a single broken question. However, when the first tear fell from green eyes, the Hyuga clan heir seemed more astounded than flustered.

Sakura sniffled, wondering why it hurt and felt so relieving to have Hinata call out to her.

How humiliating. She was crying before a classmate she has never spoken to before.

Weak. How weak she was.

Hinata may be hesitant towards all but her younger sister. She may be shy, sometimes even to abnormal limits. However, in that single instant, determination came into her usually downcast eyes. She rushed forward, grabbing Sakura's sleeve, and Sakura found herself running into the alley with the other girl taking lead.

"W-Wha…?"

Hinata looked around, fumbling through her pockets before simply lifting her jacket sleeve and wiping the tears away from green eyes for Sakura.

"Wha…? Why…?" Sakura sniffled.

"M-Mother used to tell me that when we cry…we c-cry not because we're weak…but because we've been s-strong for too long." Hinata quoted, peering at Sakura with still concerned, gentle eyes. "I-I may not know why you're crying, Sakura-chan…But it's okay to cry!"

Sakura blinked, more droplets raining down her cheeks.

"But if I cry, then I'm weak…" She murmured.

"Y-You're not weak!" The shy Hyuga tried to exclaim even though it sounds little more than a whisper.

"But…If I cry, then there's nobody to protect Papa and Mama for me…"

"Then I'll protect them for you!" The whisper sounds like an explosion in her deafening world. "I'll be your friend and I'll protect you and them!" Hinata strained to breath after amplifying her voice so uncharacteristically. "S-so…It's okay to cry!" Afterall, she herself has cried for so many times…

The young girl with pink hair stared up at her for the longest time with glazed eyes. When the emotional Hyuga finally began shifting in discomfort, Sakura broke out in laughter amidst the glistening tears that fell from her eyes.

"What are you saying…?" She laughed and cried. "You're not making any sense!"

"I-I-I…" Hinata blushed beet red, twiddling her fingers. "I-I-I'm sorr-"

"Thank you." Sakura smiled. Grabbing the other girl's hands shyly, she smiled meekly, but happily. "Thank you for wanting to be my friend."

"I-I-I-…Y-You're welcome." Hinata flushed.

Together, the brilliance of their smiles traced the tears away.

…

Hyuga Hinata

Once upon a time, there was a young girl drowning in a sea of words. Judged by the lines of words, the young girl was crafted into who she was by those words, lines of kanji forming her shell, the child within her forming her emotions, and her precious kin forming her core.

"Before all else, you are a Hyuga. You are a Hyuga, Hinata."

"To have to be rescued by a branch member…That girl is weak."

"Between his life and hers…which one do you think is more worthy to live?"

"She has always been too quiet…Like an invisible shadow."

And…She was always crying on the inside.

Like any other child, the young girl worked hard to satisfy the unrealistic expectations. She worked and worked and worked, but in the end, she was never to escape the words which define her. And one day, she simply gave up.

She gave up while crying, while dancing to those expectations, still wishing to become something she wasn't. And she hated herself for it.

"I know it's hard, but even so…It's okay to cry, Hinata." Tracing that line of kanji in her mother's last letter to her, the young girl would spend hours wondering if it was really fine to believe that. "However, after you cried, always remember to stand back up and continue running."

It's difficult. It's hard to continue when everyone around her are calling for her to give up.

The young girl stumbled upon a young boy who never gave up.

With hair as gold as if the light of the sun was spun into it, eyes as blue and open as the skies, the boy continued to fight no matter how many times he was beaten down by the dark raven – by fate. He trained, sweated, and cried. But every single time, he never fails to stand back up.

And Hinata…She admired Naruto for it.

"It's the only thing he knows how to do, Hinata-chan."

She jumped at the gentle voice calling out to her, clasping palms over her mouth to silence the squeak.

"You can come out from behind that shelf already. Naruto-kun has just left with Kakashi-san."

Hinata hesitated and slowly shifted – only to find that man squatting beside her.

"Hi-" She silenced her squeak again, jumping in shock.

She should have known it, just as she always does. This man is always doing those strange motions afterall. None of those strange motions should be surprising by now.

"Dango?" Kouta lifted the plate with a closed-eye grin.

"Y-Yes please." She responded, and soon after, found herself popping those tasty treats into her mouth while sitting beside him at the counter.

"Naruto-kun is…strange."

"S-swange?" Hinata quickly flushed, remembering her manners. She hastily swallowed the dango in her mouth.

"He loves Konoha even though the villagers dislike him. He stands up even though he knows how much more it hurts to be knocked back down again. Why do you think that is so?"

"I-Isn't that because you l-love him?" Hinata questioned timidly.

She recalls her mom telling her how Fire loves all his people no matter how much they are discriminated against or how many they hurt. With the lands loving Naruto, it was only natural that Naruto love the village back.

"…No, it's because of something else, Hinata-chan." Kouta smiled when a tiny bird flew into his shop and landed on his finger, greeting him with a happy chirp. "Naruto-kun has friends who support him every time he falls, so he is motivated to get back up on his feet. And even though he himself does not know it yet, the reason he is doing so has always been for friends."

"F…friends?" Hinata wondered aloud.

"Yes." The bird flew away to join another chirp that came from outside the shop. "Knowing the joy friends can bring, Naruto-kun seeks to make more friends with the villagers, the foreigners, the old, the young…Because he is reminded of that joy every time he falls, he is able to stand back up again."

"…Do you have any friends, Kouta-sama?" She questioned, eyes growing concerned at the contemplative glint that entered his eyes.

He smiled.

"You are my friends."

'Friends' instead of 'friend'.

Hinata felt warmth blossoming in her chest at that realization and she smiled.

That day, on her way home from his abode, she found a young girl with pink hair.

With tears falling from pretty green eyes that remind her of his, Hinata saw herself in Sakura, and with his and her mother's words, she made a promise to become Sakura's friend.

Three days later, when Sakura's tormentors descended on the pink haired girl, Hinata rushed forward.

"D-D-Do not hurt Sakura-chan!" She exclaimed as loudly as she possibly could, spreading her arms wide before her precious first friend.

The girls blinked at her, stunned, before childish, cunning smiles spread across one's lips.

"So the timid Hyuga come to defend Forehead? What good will it do when you cannot even protect yourself?" She harrumphed. "My father has already told me all about the Hyuga incident! Because of you, your own uncle had to sacrifice himself…The village's relationship with Kumo was completely ruined! Because of you, my clan's business with them was hurt!"

The other girls look to her hesitantly, not wanting to offend a clan heir.

Sakura's eyes widened, peering up at the slightly shaking girl.

From her view on the ground, Hinata's back seem so large, however shaky and weak it may be. Her friend was trembling, shaken by their words, but even so, Hinata's words remained in her head.

"E-Even then…! I will protect Sakura-chan!" Hinata whispered firmly, echoing her words from mere days ago.

"Look at you! You cannot even speak properly! Why do you think you're strong enough to defeat us?" The girl from before sniffed, lifting her nose haughtily.

In response, Hinata simply shifted to her Taijutsu stance, allowing the slightest of killing intent to slip.

The girls froze and ran away.

"A…Are you alright, Sakura-chan…?" Even as she turned back with an uncertain smile, Sakura could see her eyes watering.

The Hyuga heir kneeled down, pressing her handkerchief to her friend's red face.

"I'm s-sorry…I couldn't come earlier. N-Next time, I will come before they can hurt you, so…"

Sakura lifted her arms and embraced her shaking friend.

"I'll protect you, so it's okay to cry." Sakura whispered into her ears.

Those words were so similar to her mother's, fresh tears came to white eyes.

Sakura smiled into her hair.

"Afterall, we're friends!"

For the first time, the young girl drowning in the sea of words found a new word to define herself as – 'Friend'. And alongside the young girl who was slowly entering the world of the ninjas, they stood, hand in hand, together against the obstacles before them.

…

From the trees, he watched the two girls with a wide smile. He never quite intended to become the villain in their story, but if it was for the happiness of his two precious girls, Kouta supposes he could withstand becoming the antagonist.

"Is this a new trend in the ninja nations – stalking?" A sharp smooth voice spoke from below him.

"Haha…Don't call it such a mean thing, Tetsu. You're a comrade in crime afterall." Kouta laughed, resting his cheek against a hand.

"Who are you calling a comrade now?"

Kouta smirked as he leapt down from the trees to join his moody friend.

With the passing of time, like all others of their kind, young Tetsu had grown to the same physical age as him. Even though he was no longer taller than Tetsu, and despite the long history between the samurai and the shinobi, the days of playful banter and dazzling arguments continue, possibly to the end of either one of their existence.

"Children are so honest, aren't they?" He smiled gently.

On the other side of the fence, Hinata and Sakura blinked at the breeze that blew past.

"The younger us were so naïve and cute~" He sang happily, snickering when a vein popped on the samurai nation's face.

"Lying to me about ninja techniques being magic was not 'cute'." Tetsu brought out his katana, silently seething at the other personification. "I'll stab you."

"Haha~ I'm sorry~" Kouta laughed. "I'll treat you to a drink to make up for that, kay?"

"Listen to me when I speak-!"

"Let's go already, you slowpoke! My sake is waiting!"

…

Nara Shikamaru

In the Nara's law book, there is an added section of advice for young Naras to follow.

Section 11 Part A: Never form friendships with blondes, because they can be troublesome and hard to maintain.

The moment they walked through the sliding doors and into the bookshop, young Shikamaru already knew there would be trouble here – for the simple reasons that this particular bookshop is located opposite to the blonde Yamanaka, and one which the blonde Naruto apparently frequent numerous times.

"Hey, Naruto."

"Hey, Kouta-san!"

"Hello."

"Kouta-san, it's been a long time!"

"Pardon our intrusion, Kouta-sama!"

"I-It is nice to be meeting you again, K-Kouta-sama."

"Ano…Thanks for having us here!"

"Not at all. You are customers, so I should be the one saying thanks." The man standing behind the counter chuckled, brilliant emeralds glistening happily at the sight of the row of kids entering his store though brown hair was unkempt, as if he had just wrestled the bed or something.

Shikamaru's hands snapped up to Hinata and Kiba's shoulders at once.

"Wait." He stated.

While the two tensed, the rest of their not-so-little gang carried on happily, following Kouta as he led them to a table and took their orders of treats.

It had happened in one way or another, really.

In an ordinary peaceful day after school, Naruto had decided to skip detention and drag their tiny gang of Chouji, himself, and Kiba out to play. Then, upon hearing how they were going over to this Kouta's, the pair of Sakura and Hinata joined them. When they reached the store, Ino saw them and decided to tag along happily.

The fact that two blondes were with them already triggered Shikamaru's trouble sensor. The use of honorifics made things more troublesome.

"'Sama…'" He quipped, staring blankly at the two in his hands.

Hinata, by instinct, went looking back down and twiddling her fingers. Kiba, on the other hand, released a tiny sound of discomfort and looked up to Akamaru for guidance, the tiny dog shrugging nervously and flipping its long ears.

"Why." He demanded.

"I-It's that…Right, Hinata?" Kiba grinned nervously. Said girl jumped at her name and nodded nervously. "I-It's that! It's because he's always giving us new information on how to make tasty puppy treats and the Hyuga, how to plant more flowers from other regions! Yes! It's that!"

"Could you have come up with a worse lie?" Shikamaru deadpanned.

Kiba slumped at once, gloom floating over both his and Hinata's heads.

"Sorry. Was it really that bad?"

"Absolutely horrendous." Shikamaru confirmed.

"Urgh. Don't rub it in."

"It's okay if you do not tell me." Shikamaru stated, leveling them with a blank stare.

"It- It's okay?" Kiba blinked, wide-eyed.

"I understand, especially if this is some village or clan secret. Just tell me one thing though," He paused, continuing slowly and seriously. "Is this going to become a troublesome thing?"

"Possibly. Or not. It depends on whether he targets you or not." Kiba exchanged a glance with Hinata, who nodded in confirmation. "Though…"

"You should join your friends soon, guys. They are beginning to ask about you." Kouta beamed, flowers popping around his face almost childishly.

"…Judging by that smile of his, it appears that you are already on his radar." Kiba finished.

He knew it.

Shikamaru facepalmed.

"Troublesome."

He became more determined to stay away from the store, if nothing else. Knowing Ino and Naruto, however, tendency is likely to be that no matter how much he struggles, he would still end up finding his way into the store. So the easiest way out is…

"Just tell me what you want already, to make it less troublesome." Shikamaru gave in.

"Haha, you're such a good boy~"

…

Umino Iruka

For him, the change begun with one.

The Uzumaki Naruto Iruka has always known was a prankster, planting paintbombs throughout the faculty office, exacerbating Konoha's reputation as home to lunatics by drawing vulgarities on the Hokage mountain, always sleeping throughout classes…there was never quite an end to it. Iruka tried to be as fair to him as he could, but he could not help but wonder if it was due to the fox's influence.

However, exactly a month ago, things changed.

It begun with a simple question:

"Iruka-sensei, how do you read this word?"

It had been after the punishment of another one of his plentiful pranks. Naruto had grumbled and groaned, just as he always had, while Iruka lamented his presence. And there and then, Naruto had suddenly whipped a book from his bag, pointing to a highlighted kanji.

Iruka had entered his sensei mode at once, reading it aloud for Naruto, before tensing in the realization of exactly _who_ had asked that question.

"Since when do you read books, Naruto?" Iruka questioned, putting away some buckets. They were just remains of another punishment for a prank.

"What are you saying, Iruka-sensei? Even I read books sometimes, you know?!" The young blonde fumed, offended.

"That's not what I meant, Naruto," He sighed. "…Sorry."

The boy blinked as if surprised by the apology. Flushing red, Naruto looked away, folding his arms in a manner so childishly it made Iruka forget about the fox, if only for a second.

"As long as you get it." He pouted.

"What book is it?"

"Eh?"

"What book is it?" Iruka repeated patiently, leveling him with a puzzled stare.

"It's…The tales of a gutsy ninja." A tiny smile poked out from the whiskered face. Naruto looked down at his book, squeezing his arms ever the slightest tighter around it to emphasize that unknown emotion shining in his eyes. "It's the first present I've ever gotten from someone. Someones, actually, since both 'Kashi and Kouta bought it for me."

"Eh…" Iruka had heard of 'Kashi' before, but never Kouta. It intrigued him to know that someone would befriend his young student, but simultaneously, he felt a twinge of guilt for thinking any lesser of Naruto. He brushed off the thought. "What is the book about?"

"Ninja." Naruto answered simply, as if that one answer was enough.

"About how fun and cool being a ninja is, I don't suppose?" Iruka said jokingly.

"No, it's about a ninja fighting to protect his loved ones." Naruto paused, looking up to the teacher with a curious gleam in his eyes. "Ne, sensei, do you have any loved ones you want to fight to protect?"

"I…" He thought briefly about the parents he lost, and then, the hokage and his friends who helped him regain himself. "I have my friends."

"Eh~ I have my friends too!" Naruto beamed. "The Jiji and Kashi and Kouta and the ramen ol' man and Ayane-nee and you are all my precious people, so I want to protect everyone! In order to do that, I will grow stronger and become an utterly gutsy ninja – Just like in the book!"

Stunned, Iruka could only stare at him with wide eyes. He tried to find an answer in the midst of that blossoming happiness in his chest, but all he dug up was a weak response.

"…Is that so…" Naruto looked up at him, looking far more innocent than usual – or was he always that sweet? – and cocked his head.

"Iruka-sensei, are you okay? You sound sick." Cerulean eyes glistened, not because of annoyance but in true concern, as Iruka suddenly realized.

"I'm fine, Naruto," He replied, dropping a hand on the blonde's head without thinking. The motion took the both of them aback, but before he knew it, he was ruffling those messy soft locks with a wide, hidden smile. "Thank you for including me as one of your precious people. You are one of my precious people too."

He was surprised to find that he meant it, and more so at his embarrassment in face with an earnest student.

"Hehe, no problem!" Naruto laughed, a hint of red on his face.

"But in order to become stronger, you would have to pay more attention to my classes, right? So stop goofing off and try to concentration when I speak." Iruka tried to break the awkward atmosphere.

"Eh~?! But your lessons are boring, Iruka-sensei!"

"Look here, you…I'm still a teacher despite everything, and I expect to be respected-!"

Thereafter, he had paid more attention to Naruto.

During classes, he intentionally posed more questions to him in an attempt to encourage him to pay more attention. After classes, he grabbed the blonde and tutored him with the incentive of reading him a chapter or two of those new books he sometimes attained. He helped to fight back the discrimination against him amongst the teachers, even though his efforts still only can only achieve so much.

It was around that time that Iruka begun to notice a change in another few students, like, for instance-

\- How Yamanka Ino has become less of a fan girl for Uchiha Sasuke –

\- How Haruno Sakura has begun to become more boyish and was growing stronger in Taijutsu-

\- How Hyuga Hinata is now speaking with less stutters –

\- How Nara Shikamaru has become less lazy –

\- Even Akimichi Choji has begun to spar more, rather than claiming he could not fight a friend.

It was odd, if nothing else.

Confused about it, Iruka continued his days almost peacefully until one day, he stumbled on a truly curious sight.

It was a young man. With chocolate brown hair framing his face, brilliant green eyes peered out reproachingly as he marched a gang of Iruka's own wayward students back into the school, scolding them in a long lecture that for once, got those children to look guilty.

"-Never, ever skip your lessons for the leisure of reading again, you understand?"

"Yes…" The downed chorus of replies met Iruka's still surprised countenance.

Standing at the gates, he waited for the children to reach him before he lifted his head and peered at the young man who brought them back.

Shoulders relaxed and frame slender, like that of a civilian, he stood tall and proud – almost regally – as he regarded Iruka curiously. In his eyes, Iruka saw-

 _From the edges of a mountain, he saw a land of repetition. Grass and trees and flowers and shoots rested on a blood soaked land protected by the sacrifices of both past and present. A never ending river continued its winding descends with time, remaining as apathetic as the land was unchanged. The old and the new raced down the same lines, repeating their actions. From country to empire, empire to country, destruction and glory circled each other. As the world amassed itself into a complicated mess, it remained regal, overlooking the world with calm oversight and adapting to control, manipulate, and dominate. Passionate but calm, civilians supported the broken ninja with gentle, steady hearts while they protected them with their bodies. Their Will of Fire was not reckless, but cool with a touch of human kindness. They lost their power as an empire. They are seen as soft. People die of hope for their cause. But a nation fervently chasing and dying in search of peace, they will knowingly repeat it until they make it happen._

 _Voices begin to speak. And these voices held a touch of familiarity even though Iruka has never heard them before._

" _Love is the key…"_

"… _dream of a time when everyone cooperates…"_

"… _ease! For the sake of our children…"_

"… _They will carry on your legacy…"_

"… _are the young flames…"_

"… _find your Will of Fire!"_

"… _We are a family of ninja…"_

" _I am so happy…!"_

"… _Who is the king?!"_

" _One day, the time will come. Just stay alive…till then-"_

Emerald eyes fluttered and Iruka was left, still entranced by the sight he saw in them.

Wordless, he stared down at the civilian man with wide, awed eyes, somehow understanding _who_ this man exactly is from those images, but never comprehending why he was revealed the truth or those…that pure history of the Land of Fire. There was honour in the simple action alone.

In response, a wide almost serene smile grazed his lips.

"Hello! I am Kouta, the owner of the Kasai Bookstore my kids frequent." He caressed Kiba's head fondly, making the Inuzuka growl playfully. Green eyes lifted and Iruka found himself smiled at by his country. "And I appreciate you for always taking care of my beloved kings."

"N-No…Not at all. I-It is my job, so-"

"Iruka-sensei, you sound like Hinata!" Naruto pointed out delightfully, shattering the mood.

Sakura tossed him a light punch instead while Hinata flushed.

Kiba snickered, while Shikamaru sighed and Choji continued munching his chips.

"You love them as you would your own children, and I can never be more grateful for that." Kouta continued, green eyes flickering to Naruto's laughing form. His smile grew, if possible. "Thank you for seeing them for who they are and for being their friend and teacher."

"I…"

"Hinata!" Naruto reminded, and Sakura gave an even harder punch this time round.

"I…"

Iruka wanted to deny it, for there were too many holes in that statement: He was mean to Naruto before everything happened. He rarely paid attention to any of his more stable students. Even when he pushed himself beyond his limits, he could never fully help every single one of them. However, the statement itself is an honour to be bestowed with, and is, beyond that, a promise.

"I…You're welcome." Iruka responded with instead, in a firmer, gentler, softer tone all at once.

And The Land of Fire simply smiled.

…

A/N: Done! I truly love this story since it's unlike the other stories I have. It's not bound by any restraints, so I tend towards this story whenever I am faced with a writer's block from my other stories. I'm glad there are people who like it as well, so I hoped those guys out there enjoyed this chapter.

For reference's sake, the last section in italics is from 'National Security', a fanfic in Hetalia. It's an absolutely brilliant story, so by all means, do read it if you have time.

 **drago123** : I missed you. Haven't been writing stories you favourite/ followed for a long time, so I hope you haven't given up on me. And yes, this is a cross of hetalia and naruto, without hetalia characters entering the narutoverse. Hope you are interested in this plot XD

 **Guest:** Thank you for reviewing! I'm glad to hear about your opinion.

~ Please review/ favourite/ follow if you liked this chapter ~


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